While America…seriously?

As the cost-benefit results of China's geopolitical rise clarify daily, the most alarming thing may be America's alarm.

U.S. intelligence officials testify on Jan. 29 before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. They include, from left: FBI director Christopher Wray, CIA director Gina Haspel, national intelligence director Dan Coats, Defense Intelligence Agency director general Robert Ashley, National Security Agency director general Paul Nakasone, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency director Robert Cardillo. Screenshot courtesy of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee

A few years ago, within 24 hours of the publication of a column I’d written about human rights and China, I clicked on a link in an email about the story from a source whose allegiances were not quite as they appeared. Within seconds, my laptop self-extinguished and would not reboot.

Gerald Butts has removed himself from the daily political grind of strategizing how to keep the Liberals in power. But observers say it's unlikely he will be consigned to watch the campaign unfold from the sidelines.

SNC-Lavalin risks a takeover if it's convicted. But aside from likely outrage in Quebec, Ottawa can find other builders for its infrastructure plans if the company is banned from bidding on federal contracts, experts say

The Quebec company had extensive access to government ministers and top staffers, and was the only organization registered to lobby for allowing deferred prosecution agreements for white collar crimes.